Did social media promote misinformation during the summer 2024 riots?
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee will hold the first public evidence session of its inquiry into social media, misinformation and harmful algorithms.
This inquiry will examine the role of social media algorithms and generative AI in spreading misleading and harmful content. The inquiry follows riots in summer 2024, which are believed to have been driven in part by false claims spread on social media relating to an attack in Southport.
Meeting details
In the first panel, the committee will hear from representatives of communities that were affected by these riots. MPs may ask for views on the role of social media platforms in facilitating the spread of harmful and misleading content, and how people were affected, both online and offline.
Their questions may explore whether the panel are satisfied with the government’s response to this activity on social media and how similar crises could be prevented in the future. Members could also investigate the link between harmful and misleading content online and real-world violence.
In the second panel, MPs will hear from experts on misinformation, disinformation, online hate, and social media business models. Their questions will likely explore the broader picture of online harms, the approaches tech companies are taking to address these, and the role that social media business models play in shaping their response.
The MPs may ask the experts for views on how the government can balance tackling misinformation with protecting freedom of expression, the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act against mis- and disinformation and harms, and what other measures may be needed.